J. Smith-Cameron hopes to return as Deborah Vance’s sister

“It feels to me like there is more.”

J. Smith-Cameron is making a return to ‘Hacks’, hoping showrunners Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky will find a way to bring Kathy Vance back to the show. The last time she did that was on HBO’s “Succession,” where a four-episode run turned into a full series.

In “Hacks,” Smith-Cameron plays the estranged sister of Deborah (Jean Smart). At the end of episode six, Kathy is introduced after receiving an unexpected invitation to Deborah’s Christmas Spectacular. She accepts and shows up with a gift in hand.

But how did the role happen for Smith-Cameron? While she was at an Emmys party, Aniello, Downs and Statsky approached her. “They reintroduced themselves and said, ‘We have you in mind for the role of the nurse.’” Smith-Cameron was impressed by the prospect. As a fan of the show, she had always wondered who would eventually be cast in the role. “I thought, ‘Wow, that would be great. That’s my wildest dream come true. ”

However, with her years of experience in the industry, she did not want to commit them to that. Smith-Cameron reveals she didn’t even tell her managers. “Everyone is drinking, happy and excited to meet people they admire, and you say a lot of things,” says the actress.

And then she got the offer.

While thinking about the character, Smith-Cameron started thinking about who Kathy would be. ‘I thought, will she be as Deborah describes her, or worse? There are a number of ways to go. But wouldn’t it be interesting if she were nice? Not overly nice, but just like a normal person,” she says. “And that’s exactly what they wrote.”

Smith-Cameron even chuckles at the idea of ​​its likelihood. “At this stage of our lives we are a bit like sisters. We have plenty of common features and even our color,” she says.

Admittedly, Smith-Cameron had nerves filming the scene when Kathy arrived at Deborah’s mansion for Christmas. “It was a little nerve-wracking because it’s always new on a show that’s so well put together. And then to know that you have a very important role, and that you normally don’t mess it up,” she says. “I had a lot of confidence in the way the scene was written, but I kept reaching out to Jen, Paul and Lucia and asking, ‘Is this what you meant?’ and they said, ‘That’s exactly what we meant.’

Inevitably, tension arises between Deborah and Kathy, with most of the animosity coming from Deborah, who at one point runs to the bathroom to vomit. It builds on a moment between the siblings where the two finally talk about Kathy stealing Deborah’s husband, Frank. Things don’t go so smoothly and escalate into a snowball fight.

“I love acting with Jean Smart,” says Smith-Cameron. “She is so down to earth and easy to talk to. We both approached acting in a similar way, and we fell right into a groove.” But acting with snow was a challenge because it was fake. “It was a brilliant metaphor because Christmas is her favorite holiday and everything is fake. She auditioned for elves and everything is show business. And her sister shows up and she’s more of the authentic kind.” Smith-Cameron added: “She has surrounded herself with evidence of her great success, and if she can’t have snow at Christmas, she will make it.”

As far as that history and all the things that happened between Deborah, Frank and Kathy, Smith-Cameron thinks it’s a classic setup. “From Kathy’s perspective, she has a really good case, like it was wrong, but it was like teenager was wrong. I dare say that Deborah probably had her hand in covering up what happened and what led up to it.

In the next episode, the siblings attempt to have a sisters’ weekend, but Deborah’s quest to secure the “Late Night” spot thwarts that. Instead, the two take a sisterly trip to their parents’ mausoleum, which quickly turns into another tense moment. Kathy discovers that Deborah has had their parents’ buried bodies moved to Vegas, near her future grave. It ends with the two ways of saying goodbye, with Kathy telling her older sister, “I don’t think I want this in my life.” I can not do it.”

Smith-Cameron hopes this isn’t the last we see of Kathy. “I just hope it’s not because it’s harder to get a sibling out of your head.” She adds, “It feels like there’s more, but I hope Paul, Lucia and Jen think so too.”

For fun, she entertains the idea of ​​Kathy returning and conjures up possible scenarios. “I’d love to see them collaborate on something. They have to. It could be something legal or something to do with the daughter or grandchild. I think it would be funny if I had walked out and had to walk back in. Smith-Cameron continues: “I would love to work more with Jean and explore the relationship further.”

Aniello, Downs and Statsky, if you’re reading this, your move.